


Honey Trap

by Chicken_Nuggz



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, Gavin Reed Being an Asshole, Gavin Reed Being an Idiot, Groping, Infidelity, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Porn With Plot, Rough Kissing, Upgraded Connor | RK900 and Gavin Reed are Police Partners, mentions of human trafficking, they are also fuckbuddies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-30
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:07:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27788743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chicken_Nuggz/pseuds/Chicken_Nuggz
Summary: In which Nines and Gavin are sent to investigate a nightclub that's suspected of being affiliated with a human trafficking ring. The events that follow gradually unveil a sinister underground operation that targets humans and androids alike. Forced to confront his deepest insecurities, Gavin must learn to overcome his beliefs or risk losing everything he holds dear.
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Comments: 31
Kudos: 99





	1. so, no head?

“So, Fowler, care to tell us why you decided to call us into your office at ass o’clock in the mornin’?”

Gavin’s superior scowled at him, his face rendered all the more intimidating by the dark bags under his eyes.

“Watch your mouth, Reed. You’ve already had three disciplinary strikes this week, and I am _this_ close to firing you.” He brought his thumb and index finger dangerously close to each other, eyes narrowing at the unkempt police officer in front of him. Gavin scoffed in response, but decided to keep quiet nonetheless.

Nines stood nearby in polite silence, calmly observing the hostile interaction. It was nothing he hadn’t seen before.

Fowler sighed and leaned back in his chair. “The reason I’ve called you both in today is to address whatever the _fuck_ is going on between you two.”

Gavin frowned. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Fowler glared at him. “Don’t play dumb with me, Reed. In case you haven’t noticed, it isn’t exactly a secret around here that you and your partner have been _involved_ for weeks now.” Gavin turned an unhealthy shade of scarlet. Nines remained impassive beside him.

Gavin spluttered, eyes darting between Fowler and Nines. “We’re not – ”

“Frankly, I’ve had enough of hearing complaints about you guys from your co-workers, so at least _try_ to keep it in your pants until the end of your shift. The men’s bathrooms aren’t there for you to be messing around in while you’re supposed to be writing up your report.”

Gavin was now tomato red, eyes comically wide and stuttering incomprehensibly. Nines stepped forward and inclined his head remorsefully.

“I am very sorry for the trouble we have caused, Captain Fowler. It will not happen again.”

“Damn straight. Now get back to work.”

And so began a month-long saga of Gavin being blue-balled by Nines. Whenever Gavin dared to make a move on him at work, Nines would brush him off and remind him – in that infuriatingly condescending tone of his – of the warning that Fowler had already given them. The insane workload that came with the spike in crime following the android revolution kept them both at the station day in and day out, which meant that hooking up after work was out of the question. Gavin had tried to convince him that it would be fine as long as they didn’t get caught, but Nines had persisted, saying that it would be ‘ _unprofessional_ ’.

Gavin sneered. The android hadn’t been very _professional_ all those times he had cornered Gavin in the bathroom and had his way with him. He hadn’t been very _professional_ when that fuckhead Anderson had come in and he had left Gavin clinging to the sink, flushed and half-hard.

_Professional_ , huh? Gavin would show him _professional_.


	2. a mug shot? i don’t even drink coffee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gavin and Nines get introduced to their next case and the prime suspect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so I promised updates on Mondays but I don't live in America and my dumbass got timezones mixed up so 🤡
> 
> Anyhow, here's the next chapter :^)

“…and we’ve been swamped with new cases, which is why we’re all stuck here every damn day from the crack of dawn ‘till fuck knows when at night.” Fowler gestured towards the glass wall, through which police officers outside could be seen running around, taking phone calls and tapping away on their personal consoles.

Gavin hummed, impatience evident in his tone. Nines elbowed him in the side.

“We’ve recently caught wind of a club downtown that may be a front for a human trafficking ring run by the mafia. Naturally, the club’s owner is a prime suspect.” Fowler brought up a holographic image from a device at the front of his desk.

The man in question was a surly-looking blonde with a scar over his left eye, a slightly crooked nose and a jawline that could probably slice Gavin in half. His tight grey tank top showed off the muscles in his torso and tattoos ran down both of his toned arms. The suspect’s name – _Dean Myers_ – as well as his date of birth and height were displayed in the bottom right hand corner of the screen.

Gavin was impressed, though he refused to let it show. The guy was a hunk, but he was still (most likely) a ruthless criminal.

“This guy doesn’t exactly have a clean record, either. He’s got a history of aggravated assault, petty theft, grand theft auto – among other things.”

Ok, so _definitely_ a criminal.

“And that’s where you guys come in,” Fowler continued. “As luck would have it, you and Ironman here are the only ones available at the moment. I want y’all to go sus out this guy and his club, see if we can get any confirmation for these claims.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Nines saw Gavin’s mouth harden into a thin line. He had crossed his arms and his biceps were taut with pent-up frustration.

“Fine,” he spat. “Ain’t like we got anythin’ better to do right now.”

Fowler narrowed his eyes at Gavin’s disdainful tone, but chose not to comment on it. “I’ll send you guys the details once you leave. And remember – ” His eyes flashed in warning. “ _Don’t_ fuck this up. I don’t want this whole operation to go to shit because you dickwads decided to have a lovers’ quarrel.”

“Understood, Captain.” Nines replied primly.

At this point, Gavin was shaking with fury. Nines was almost inclined to laugh, if it weren’t for the fact that his own position was also at risk.

Fowler sat up straight and placed his hands on the desk. “That is all. Go get your shit and be ready to leave in ten minutes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me lookin at my own oc: oh nO HE'S HOTTTTTTT


	3. two bros, chillin’ in a nightclub, no feet apart cause they’re gay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The two arrive at the nightclub to investigate, but things quickly go awry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I managed to shit this chapter out because I couldn't restrain myself so, uh, early update! Woohoo!!
> 
> As always, hope y'all enjoy :)

The club was situated on the outskirts of town, away from the bustle of the urban centre and just before the opening of a busy highway. Nines parked the car opposite the building and watched the flashing lights and shadowy figures which could be seen through the windows. A flickering neon sign displayed at the front read, “The Oasis”.

“This is the place.” He announced. “What do you make of it?”

Gavin grunted beside him. “Looks like your standard shithole.”

“Observant as always, Detective.” Nines drawled, ignoring Gavin’s eyeroll and muttered _Fuck you_. “We should get going.”

They exited the vehicle and made their way across the street. As they approached the entrance, the rhythmic thud of music and hum of conversation grew steadily louder. The bouncer at the door eyed them warily as he checked their ID’s; Nines returned his gaze coolly whereas Gavin glowered at him as they walked past.

The interior of the Oasis was dimly lit save for the kaleidoscope of strobe lights which rotated steadily over the room. Gyrating bodies filled the space around them, and the clamour of voices mingled with the song playing in the background to create a cacophony of noise punctuated by the occasional shouts and cheers of a drunken crowd gathered near the bar in one corner. An elevated stage stood in the centre, where groups of friends danced goofily and lovers ground against one another, all fuelled by booze and adrenaline. Gavin wrinkled his nose in mild disgust at the musk of sweat and alcohol that hung heavy in the air. It had been a while since he last came to a place like this, but he sure as hell didn’t miss it.

A hand landed on his shoulder and Nines leant down next to him. “Do you see anyone who matches the image we were given?”

Gavin had to suppress a shiver when Nines spoke directly into his ear. Stupid robot bastard. He shook the android’s hand off. “Gimme a second, it’s fuckin’ dark in here.”

He then proceeded to look around at the faces of the club’s patrons, conjuring the suspect’s – _Myers’ –_ photo in his mind: _Short blonde hair, clean-shaven, around six foot…_

Come to think of it, Myers was around Nines’ height. Gavin found his eyes inadvertently drawn to the android’s sharp profile. The lights in the club cast a ghostly glow over Nines’ face, accentuating his high cheekbones and deep-set eyes. His dark hair was slicked back in a style that was slightly more casual than the one he usually had at the DPD, and the LED on his temple cycled periodically, alternating between blue and yellow. Gavin stared enviously at his trim waist and legs for days, which were complemented by his form-fitting dress shirt and pants.

He hated to admit it, but Nines was a total knockout. Gavin felt like a sack of shit in comparison in his faded polo shirt and ratty jeans – but he’d sooner leap off a rooftop than tell _that_ to the plastic prick.

“I’ve located the suspect,” said Nines.

Gavin blinked. “What?”

Nines turned to him with an unimpressed expression. “I _said_ , Detective, that I’ve located the suspect. If you hadn’t been staring at _me_ for so long, you might have spotted him sooner.”

Gavin felt a deep blush creep up his neck, and was suddenly grateful for the darkness in the club. “Whatever, asshole. So where the heck is he?”

Nines titled his chin in the direction of the bar. Gavin followed his gaze, and sure enough, a man in a cheap suit matching Myers’ description sat alone on one of the stools lining the counter. He was nursing a drink in his hand, eyes downcast as if brooding over something.

When Gavin had first seen Myers’ mugshot, he had looked to be his type. From this distance, it seemed that the reality did _not_ disappoint – but he’d have to get closer to be sure…

If this mission played out the way that Gavin had planned, he would be able to resolve this case _and_ get some good dick along the way. Two birds with one stone, as some might say.

“You stay here,” Gavin said. “Let me handle this.” 

“What do you intend to – Detective Reed!”

Nines’ voice faded into the background as Gavin pushed through the crowd, making for the bar.

As Gavin approached, Myers was waving the bartender over. “Give me another one of these,” he said gruffly.

“Make it a double.” Gavin supplied, sliding the employee a handful of bills across the counter.

Myers turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow. Gavin smiled and climbed onto the stool next to him, not missing the way the other man’s gaze lingered on him – or more specifically, his bottom half.

“Never seen _you_ around here before,” Myers noted.

“First time here,” Gavin replied smoothly. “What about you? Come here often?” He silently berated himself. _Of course he comes here often, dumbass. It’s_ his _club_. Though in Gavin’s defense, he wasn’t supposed to know that.

Myers chuckled. “Occasionally.” His drink had appeared in front of him. He picked it up and downed it in one go.

“Woah, slow down there, buddy. You don’t wanna be collapsing here before midnight.”

Myers slammed his glass back onto the counter and exhaled loudly. He looked at Gavin with half-lidded eyes. “The night’s still young. Might as well enjoy it while it lasts.”

Gavin hummed in response. “I can think of a few other ways to do that.”

“Oh yeah?” Myers leaned closer to him. “Such as?”

“I wouldn’t mind spending some more time with you tonight,” Gavin replied, smirking. “That is, if you’re up for it…” He placed his hand on his companion’s thigh, only for it to be caught by Myers’ firm grip.

For a moment, Gavin feared that he had been rejected, or worse – that Myers had realised his true intentions – until he looked up into the hungry eyes of his target.

“How about we take this somewhere more private?” Myers asked, flashing Gavin a sleazy grin. The brunette smiled coyly in response, and allowed himself to be led towards the back of the club. Maybe this mission wouldn’t be such a drag after all –

Is what he thought, when suddenly a hand latched onto his wrist and yanked him away from his prey. Gavin fell back onto a solid chest with a startled yelp, and he whipped around angrily. “Hey! What’s the big ide – _Nines_?”

The android glared down at him, steely blue eyes boring through his skull and LED glowing bright red. “What exactly do you think you’re doing, Gavin?”

Gavin tore his arm away. “What’s it to ya? It’s none of your fuckin’ business anyway.”

Myers looked back and forth between them. “The hell’s goin’ on here?”

Nines turned to him and smiled coldly. “We were just leaving.” He grabbed Gavin again and dragged him, kicking and screaming, towards the exit. The crowd parted easily for them, and curious onlookers watched as the android left the Oasis with his rowdy human partner in tow. 

Needless to say, the mission was a bust.


	4. i won't hesitate, bitch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nines confronts Gavin about what happened at the Oasis.

“Let me _go_ , you fuckin’ tincan – _ugh_!” Gavin grunted as Nines shoved him against a wall behind the nightclub. The android slammed his hand into the brick surface next to Gavin’s head.

“What the fuck were you thinking, Gavin?” He snapped. “Did you plan to trade your body for information?”

“Hah! No _shit_ , Sherlock. Ever heard of a honey trap?” Gavin snarled back. “I would’ve gotten some valuable intel, too, if your metal ass hadn’t decided to come over and fuck everything up!”

“That man is involved in _human trafficking_ , Gavin. You could have been kidnapped and auctioned off to the highest bidder!”

“We don’t know that for sure. Besides, who the fuck would want to blow all their money on someone like _me_?” Gavin laughed mirthlessly.

Nines’ eyes widened, then narrowed to slits. “Don't you _dare_ talk about yourself like that – ”

“Why do you even care? It’s not like we’re anything more than fuckbuddies.”

A brief, tense silence followed. Nines glared at him. “Is that what you think?”

Gavin sneered. “I meant what I said, Terminator. Or did you somehow get the idea in that thick skull of yours that we had anything _real_ between us? That we were _together_?”

“Shut up.” Nines growled.

Gavin leaned up until their faces were a hair’s breadth away from each other.

“ _Make me_.”

Nines promptly closed the distance between them, muffling Gavin’s protests with a rough kiss. His tongue invaded the brunette’s mouth, plundering and exploring the orifice with ferocious intent. Gavin moaned against Nines’ lips, one hand pawing weakly at the android’s chest. Nines grabbed him by the wrist and pinned his arm against the wall, using his other hand to grope Gavin’s dick through his jeans.

Gavin felt himself harden almost instantly – _fucking hell –_ and he used the remainder of his strength to shove against Nines with his free hand in a futile attempt at resistance. That all went to shit, however, when the android dipped his hand below the waistband of his pants and began to trace the outline of his cock against his boxers with the pads of his middle and index fingers. Gavin’s hips bucked and he made an embarrassing little noise that he was forced to swallow when Nines suddenly deepened the kiss. Instead of pushing, Gavin now gripped the android’s shoulder, trying and failing to keep his knees from buckling.

Their lips parted with a wet pop, and Nines caught Gavin in his arms before his face could hit the filthy pavement.

Gavin clung to him, gasping for breath. “What the _fuck_ ,” he panted, “was _that_?”

“That was a kiss, Gavin,” Nines deadpanned. “I’m beginning to doubt your investigative skills if you cannot even figure out that much for yourself.”

Gavin glared up at him. “Quit bein’ a smartass, you overgrown ken doll. You can’t just go around manhandling people like that. What if someone – ”

“For your information, Gavin,” Nines interrupted. “The only person I’ve ever _manhandled_ is you.” His lips brushed the shell of Gavin’s ear. “And besides, you didn’t seem to hate it.” He palmed Gavin’s crotch, making the smaller man’s breath hitch.

This time Gavin leaned into his touch, forehead falling against the android’s chest. “Well, can you blame me? It’s been ages since the last time we did this.” He murmured against Nines’ shirt.

“Oh? Is that why you tried to spend the night with Myers? To find a replacement for me?”

“No, Nines, I just have a thing for fucking convicted felons.”

“Hmm. Perhaps that is why you are struggling to rise through the ranks at work.”

“ _Hey –_ ”

“I’m joking, Gavin. Your short temper and blatant disrespect for authority pose far bigger obstacles to any potential successes in your career.” Nines smirked. “Let’s go back to the car. I suspect that will be a far more comfortable place to take care of your little, ah, _problem_ here.” He looked pointedly down at the bulge in Gavin’s pants. Gavin glowered and averted his eyes, cheeks dusted light pink despite the cold December air.

“Nah, fuck that.” He muttered. “Let’s go back to my place.”

Nines smiled. “Very well.”


	5. i said whoever threw that paper, your mom's a hoe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gavin makes an unexpected discovery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm back!! so uh summer school kicked me in the ass and i haven't been able to update for a while, but i managed to come up with this chapter for y'all. as always, enjoy!

After the incident at the Oasis, Gavin and Nines were condemned to desk duty – ‘indefinitely’, as Fowler had put it. The case was handed over to Connor and Hank, much to Gavin’s chagrin. _That plastic twink and the old drunk? God knows Anderson would stick out like a sore thumb at a phckin’ nightclub._ Though deep down, Gavin was painfully aware that the other android-human duo had a far less problematic relationship than he and Nines did, and that there would likely be ways to get around the fact that Hank was a little too old to be going out clubbing. Sending Connor in alone, for example, with a hidden camera and microphone to report back to his partner.

At the very least, the thought of Connor, with his puppy-dog eyes and awkward demeanor, venturing into a seedy nightclub full of opportunistic strangers was enough to bring a small sadistic smile to Gavin’s lips.

Perched in a creaky office chair at the tiny desk he shared with Nines, Gavin chewed idly on a piece of gum while he stared at the android in front of him with his chin resting in his hand. Nines was diligently working his way through the impressive piles of paperwork in front of them, pen scratching away and expression stern and focused. Gavin blew a large pink bubble with the gum in his mouth, letting it pop right in Nines’ face and causing him to flinch. He looked up, pen stopped halfway through a sentence, and scowled at Gavin.

“In case you haven’t noticed, Detective, we have an enormous amount of work to do by the end of today. I would appreciate if you helped me complete it, rather than continue to be a nuisance.”

When Gavin didn’t respond, Nines’ frown deepened. “Is there something on my face?” He asked icily.

Gavin grinned. “Nah. I’m just lookin’ at how big your fuckin’ forehead is. Never realised that until now.”

Nines stood up abruptly from his chair. The loud screech of its legs against the linoleum floor drew the attention of everyone else in the precinct.

“Detective Gavin Reed,” Nines said, voice steadily rising. “If you refuse to do the work that you’ve been assigned, I will have to report you to Captain Fowler. Do I make myself clear?”

Gavin rose from his seat and jabbed Nines in the chest with his finger. “You don’t get to order me around, dickhead. This is all your fault in the first place!”

“All _my_ fault? _You_ were the one who – ”

“What the hell are you two doing? Get back to work!” barked Fowler, who had emerged from his glass box. The two reluctantly returned to their seats and resumed their monotonous task. Officers around them snickered and whispered among themselves. Gavin clenched his fist in his lap. Who did these fuckers think they were? _They_ weren’t the ones stuck with an insufferable pile of metal as their fucking partner.

The day dragged on, filled with outdated case reports and minor clerical tasks that Gavin was sure could just be dumped onto the two plastic princesses manning the front desk instead. It seemed this shift would never end, and he was tempted to lock himself in the archive room and just take a nap there, until a particular report caught his eye.

He brought the piece of paper to the top of the pile, the words _Oasis nightclub_ glaring up at him from the yellowing page. The case involved an ST300 named Marian, who had disappeared several months ago and was last seen at the club. No body was ever found, and the case was abandoned due to a lack of witnesses or concrete evidence.

Gavin frowned. Something didn’t add up – and he was almost certain it had to do with what he and Nines had originally been sent out to investigate. Myers’ case may no longer be his responsibility, but he felt compelled to follow through on his hunch. At the very least, if he managed to crack this case, he might be able to get back into Fowler’s good books. A part of him wondered why this report had practically been discarded when it had such clear links to the current case involving Myers’ club; but Gavin had to admit, even in a world filled with androids, human error still led to the occasional slip-up.

The detective smirked. It was probably a good thing that some clown had shoved this valuable piece of evidence in this miscellaneous pile of paperwork, or he never would have gotten a chance to escape from the heinous punishment of being stuck on his ass all day next to his plastic prick of a partner.

He continued to look through the report. Marian’s disappearance had apparently been first reported by her roommate, a woman named Chantelle Li. He looked up their address in the police database, and found that it wasn’t too far from the station.

Gavin sighed. It was as a good of a place to start as any.


	6. and they were roommates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've added some extra stuff to the previous chapter, and this is just a continuation of that. Enjoy!

The apartment that the victim had shared with Chantelle was on the top floor of a brownstone building just beyond Detroit’s central business district. It sat in the middle of a quiet boulevard lined with small neatly trimmed elm trees, through which dappled sunlight hit the ground at regular intervals. Families roamed the street, strolling leisurely along the footpath or chasing pets bounding down the pavement. A small playground sat in a grassy field opposite the residential area, where children clambered up and down shiny metal rungs, screeched as they flew by in a blur on the merry-go-round or chased friends across the asphalt in chaotic games of tag.

All in all, it seemed like a perfect little neighbourhood. As Gavin pulled over onto the curb and climbed out of his shitty car, he felt distinctly out of place in the middle of all the BMWs and general domesticity around him. He already couldn’t wait to get back to his tiny flat and collapse onto the couch with his pet dog Izzy. But before that, he had a job to do. Not technically _his_ job, per se, but a job nevertheless.

He knocked politely when he arrived at the apartment. Muffled footsteps padded towards him, and a young woman with a round face and downturned eyes answered the door. She peered at him apprehensively through her glasses.

“Can I help you?”

Gavin did his best to smile. “Hi, are you Miss Chantelle Li?”

“Yes.”

He lifted his badge. “My name is Detective Gavin Reed. I’d like to ask you a few questions about the disappearance of your roommate, Marian.”

A look of shock passed over the woman’s face, before she stepped back to hold open the door. “I see. Please, come in.”

The interior of the apartment was cozy and well-maintained. Chantelle led Gavin down a short hallway, where pictures hanging on the wall showed her and Marian smiling widely, arms around each other and faces alight with joy. Gavin felt a twinge of envy – it had been a while since he’d had any relationships, romantic or otherwise, which had made him as happy as the women looked in the photos – and then he remembered why he was here. He felt guilt settle in the pit of his stomach. Someone had d _isappeared_ , and here he was worrying about himself. Fuckin’ typical. He really was becoming a lonely old bastard.

They emerged into a spacious living room, and Chantelle gestured for Gavin to sit on the red leather couch.

“Would you like something to drink?”

“Just water is fine, thanks.”

She nodded, and turned to head to the kitchen adjacent to the living room. A moment later she returned with a glass of water in hand, which she set down next to a box of tissues on the coffee table in front of Gavin. Before he even had a chance to thank her, she began to speak.

“You know, I was under the impression that you guys had dropped the case. It’s been ages since anyone’s given me any updates, and I’d already lost all hope of finding out what happened to Marian,” she admitted, voice cracking.

Gavin offered her a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry to hear that. I assure you, the investigation is still ongoing, and we’re doing our best to solve the case,” he half-lied. “The reason I’ve come here today is because we’ve recently received some allegations that may help shed light on Marian’s disappearance.”

At this, Chantelle perked up. “What kind of allegations?”

Gavin hesitated. On one hand, he didn’t want to contribute to her worries. On the other hand, he felt that she had a right to know.

“The nightclub where she was last seen is suspected to be a hub for human trafficking activity. I don’t mean to alarm you, but – ”

“Oh my god,” said Chantelle, clamping a hand over her mouth. “But…Marian’s an android. If it’s a _human_ -trafficking ring, they wouldn’t take her, right?”

“I’m afraid I can’t confirm anything at this point,” Gavin replied. “We don't have enough evidence yet to know what really happened to her, or even if those allegations are true. However, I was hoping you might be able to tell me more about what happened when you last saw Marian.” He withdrew a small notepad and pen from his pocket.

Chantelle looked pensively at the floor. “Well, I don’t think it’s anything I haven’t told the police already, but basically, Marian and I had a huge fight that day. We’d both been really stressed out by work and college and we kinda just hit breaking point at the same time, you know? She ended up leaving, I’m assuming to blow off some steam, and I didn’t bother asking where she was going since I was still mad at her and let my pride get the better of me.”

She shook her head and sighed in despair. “If only I had stopped her, or at least asked where she planned to go so late at night, then none of this would have happened. I was stupid, and now she’s _gone_.” She sobbed, her shoulders shaking as she buried her head in her hands.

“I’m sorry. I just feel so shitty about what happened. I can’t help but think that it was all my fault.” Her lip quivered and tears streamed down her face. “When she didn’t come back the next morning, I _knew_ something was wrong. I called her again and again, but she didn’t pick up. I contacted all of our friends and family to ask if they’d seen or heard from her but no one knew anything. I even drove all over the city, looking in places where she might be, but…but I found nothing. It was as if she’d just _vanished_.”

She sniffled and wiped her nose with a tissue from the box on the coffee table. “In the end, I decided to report it to the police. I didn’t know what else to do.”

“I understand this must be very difficult for you, but you shouldn’t blame yourself,” said Gavin. “There is one thing I’d like to know, though. You said you looked in all the places you thought she might be. Does this mean the Oasis nightclub wasn’t somewhere Marian would frequent?”

Chantelle nodded. “That’s right. I’d never even heard of the place before she disappeared. Maybe some of her college friends told her about it? I don’t know.”

“Do you know if she was with anyone that night? One of her friends from college, perhaps?”

“I’m not sure. But now that you mention it, she _was_ hanging out with this one guy a lot at the time…”

“Can you tell me more about him?” Gavin prompted.

“I…I think his name was Daniel? He’s a PL600. Blonde hair, blue eyes – the whole package. He majors in social studies at the same college as Marian. I’ve only ever met him in person a couple of times.” Chantelle frowned. “I always thought there was something a little off about him, but I can’t put my finger on it. It’s like he’s constantly got something to hide…I don’t know, maybe I’m just being paranoid.”

“That’s ok. In my line of work, sometimes a bit of paranoia can save your life.” said Gavin. “So, you think Daniel might have been with Marian that night?”

“Well, he’s the only other person I can think of who Marian would turn to. They’ve practically been joined at the hip these last couple of months. She spends more time with _him_ than she ever did _here_.” She gestured at the apartment around her. Gavin thought he detected a hint of jealousy in her tone.

“Marian never had many friends, so for her to become so attached to someone is…unusual, I would say. I’m sorry, there’s not much more information I can offer.”

“It’s alright. You’ve been very helpful.” Gavin finished scribbling down one last word in his notepad. “I think that’s all I wanted to ask you today. Thank you for your time, Miss Li.” 

…

At the station the next day, Gavin looked up the PL600 on his desk monitor. The android had no criminal record, and was by all appearances an upstanding member of society. Bored, Gavin kept flicking through his profile.

The only time Daniel had come into contact with the law was when he acted as a witness for a fight that broke out at his workplace, the –

Gavin swore under his breath.

Daniel worked at the Oasis nightclub.

From the other side of the desk, Nines looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

“Is something wrong?”

Gavin’s eyes darted towards his. An idea suddenly popped into his head. He leaned forward conspiratorially.

“I’m gonna need your help with something, tincan.”


	7. i love you bitch, i won’t ever stop lovin’ you, bitch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the fiasco at the Oasis, Nines starts to realise just how deeply he’s fallen for Gavin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of the failed mission, from Nines’ perspective.

Truth be told, Nines hadn’t intended to chase after Gavin that night at the club. His original plan was to simply observe from the sidelines and see what Gavin would do to get the information they needed. What he hadn’t anticipated, however, was the extent of his partner’s impulsiveness.

As soon as Gavin’s hand landed on the suspect’s thigh and Myers fixed him with that predatory gaze, Nines’ field of vision was flooded with error messages. His LED had stuttered violently as he actively fought against the mission objectives stipulated by his internal programming. All that mattered in that moment was to get Gavin away from Myers. To reclaim him.

Before he knew it, he had grabbed Gavin’s wrist and pulled the detective towards him like a ragdoll. The android had watched him, enraptured, as his heart rate spiked and his pupils dilated. The waves of fear radiating from the smaller man betrayed the fact that he knew who had approached him before he’d even turned to face Nines. He had _known_ how Nines would react, and yet he’d still gone out of his way to incite this response. A part of him suspected that Gavin wanted this to happen, that he wanted to be taught a lesson. He felt a surge of twisted satisfaction at the thought.

When Gavin continued to be uncooperative after being physically dragged out of the Oasis, the last of Nines’ self-restraint had snapped. Weeks of pent-up tension had led up to this point, a dam filled with lust driven to the point of bursting. He had kissed Gavin like a starving man, had wrangled the moans from his throat and fondled him until he was hard as a rock, constricted by his jeans and dizzy with want. And when Gavin had looked up at him with his wide storm-grey eyes, hair a mess and pants hanging low on his hips, Nines thought he had never seen anyone more beautiful.

The drive to Gavin’s place afterwards had been a form of torture. Nines had wanted to pin him to the backseat and just take him there; but alas, Gavin had requested that they seek the comfort and privacy of his shoebox apartment and rickety bed – and who was Nines to refuse such a tempting offer?

They had barely made it beyond the threshold of the detective’s home before Nines decided to perform another thorough oral examination on Gavin, and then hoist him over his shoulder while ignoring his fervent protests. They had made up for all the nights spent without each other – in multiple different positions, and multiple different locations. Nines lost count after the sixth orgasm; but he couldn’t care less. He fucked Gavin on the bed, in the shower, on the floor, even against his front door. His neighbours would despise him – assuming they didn’t already. But they both knew that, come morning, they would have to face the consequences of their actions, and Fowler would rip them both apart for fucking up the one chance they had to prove themselves useful. For now, though, they had each other, and by _god_ were they going to make the most of it.

As expected, when they both turned up to work the next day, fucked out and exhausted, they were greeted with their boss’s unbridled fury and enough paperwork to fill the Library of Congress. Gossip had started circulating as soon as they set foot into the station, two miscreants reeking of sex and fatigue. For once, Nines didn’t give a rat’s ass about his reputation at work. All he wanted to do was finish his shift, then drag Gavin back to his apartment and do it all again.

It didn’t help that Gavin persisted in his usual irritating behaviour throughout the day. Aside from slacking off and staring at Nines, he would take out his phone whenever he thought nobody was looking, and proceed to scroll through whatever mindless drivel he entertained himself with in his spare time. Nines was left to shoulder the burden of their monumental task, and he would have done so for the rest of the day – not out of submission, but out of pure self-discipline fueled by the knowledge that he could use Gavin’s laziness as an excuse to fuck him into the mattress after work - until the detective had blown that repulsive pink bubble in his face and grinned at him like the imbecile that he was.

Nines had been sorely tempted to snatch that gum out of Gavin’s mouth and replace it with his tongue – but he knew they were both already on thin ice with Fowler, and it wouldn’t do to act so shamelessly in front of the entire precinct. After their brief but heated argument and Fowler’s intervention, the two had simmered with rage in relative silence until it was time to clock off.

By then, Nines was raring to go – but his plans went down the drain, when as soon as 6pm came around his human partner leapt up from his desk, grabbed his belongings and bolted out the door. He was almost hurt by Gavin’s apparent eagerness to get away from him, but decided to let him go in the end; perhaps he needed time to recuperate after their – _ahem_ – strenuous activities the night before.

The following day had started much the same way – paperwork, awkward silence, avoiding eye contact – until Gavin interrupted Nines’ thoughts with a muttered expletive. Nines looked up at him in mild annoyance; he had been running calculations on approximately 23 different scenarios where he bent Gavin over the desk and pounded him until he _screamed_ – and he was _not_ pleased to suddenly be distracted by the very source of his frustrations. But then Gavin had spoken, and the detective’s words intrigued him.

Nines knew better than anyone that when someone like Gavin fucking Reed said something like _I’m gonna need your help with something_ , nothing good could come of it. But then again, very few things about Gavin seemed palatable to him, and yet he still found himself constantly gravitating towards the man like a moth drawn to a flame. In other words, the unruly brunette had Nines wrapped around his little finger.

The RK900 let out the android equivalent of a sigh. He supposed he could indulge Gavin, just this once.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to write something from Nines’ POV for this chapter, but it just turned into about 1000 words of hornt nonsense aflkhdalfbj
> 
> I hope this was a nice change of pace from what’s happened so far, but next chapter we’ll be getting back to the actual plot :)
> 
> Also, I have a ton of assignments/exams coming up in the next few weeks, so updates will most likely become infrequent around that time. I do hope to finish this fic sometime before the end of February, though I’m afraid I can’t make any promises.


	8. oh hi thanks for checking in i’m still a piece of garrbaage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nines and Gavin pay a visit to Daniel's house.

“You think he’s out?”

Nines looked over at Gavin, who had his head tilted back and was squinting up at the darkened windows of the rundown house in front of them. He took absolutely no notice of the way the setting sun reflected off of his partner’s dark brown hair, giving it a soft, golden glow.

To be honest, Nines wasn’t sure why he’d agreed to come with Gavin at all. Fowler had explicitly told them that they were off the case, and he doubted their boss would be pleased if he found out that they’d knowingly disobeyed his orders – _again_. However, allowing Gavin to question a potential homicide suspect alone – and an _android_ suspect at that, who could probably attack him and come out on top – just didn’t sit right with Nines, so in the end he caved and decided to accompany his partner on this pseudo-mission.

The RK900 shifted his gaze in the same direction as Gavin’s. “It’s possible,” he conceded. “We should knock again, just to be sure.”

Gavin shrugged and did as Nines suggested, this time a little more insistently. When there was no response from inside the residence, he began to hammer on the door.

“Detroit police! Open up!”

They were once again greeted with more silence. Gavin rolled his eyes and gestured for them to leave. “Come on, looks like blondie isn’t home right now.”

Nines nodded and started to follow him, when suddenly a flash of movement in one of the upstairs windows caught his eye. He grabbed Gavin’s arm to stop him.

“I think there’s someone in there.” He pointed at the window. The blinds shifted slightly behind the glass, clearly having been disturbed from the other side.

Gavin raised his eyebrows. “We better go check it out, then.”

He grabbed the door handle and rattled it a few times, clicking his tongue when it didn’t budge. The detective then withdrew two bobby pins from his pocket and fashioned them into a makeshift lock pick and tension wrench. He inserted the wrench into the lock, followed by the lock pick, and began to probe inside. Nines watched in fascination as Gavin went about this task, seeing a triumphant gleam in his eye when finally, the lock disengaged with a quiet _click_.

“Should I even ask why you, an officer of the law, would know how to do that?”

Gavin winked at him. “That’s for me to know, and you to find out.”

This time it was Nines’ turn to roll his eyes. As resourceful as his partner could be, he was also undeniably a childish prick.

They ventured into the house, which was shrouded in darkness save for the fading daylight that entered through the windows. The sharp odour of disinfectant cut through the air, reminiscent of the smell of a recently vacated hospital ward. Instead of turning on the light – which would alert others of their presence – Gavin withdrew an electric torch from his other pocket; he seemed to have come especially prepared for this mission. Either that, or he made a habit of breaking into private property. Nines hoped it was the former.

The beam from Gavin’s torch pierced through the gloom around them, briefly illuminating fragments of what little furniture decorated the room. Nines caught glimpses of a threadbare sofa, a tattered lamp and a tiny coffee table. There was a splatter of blue on one corner of the table, and a puddle of the same liquid on the floor nearby. Nines winced at the sight – he had a feeling he knew what the blue substance was – but they continued to make their way through the house.

They reached a flight of stairs on the other side of the room. When Gavin placed his foot onto the first step, it creaked ominously beneath his weight. He took a deep breath and continued his ascent.

About halfway to the top, they heard a noise from upstairs. The two officers paused and exchanged glances with each other, nodding in unison. Based on the direction the sound had come from, Nines pinpointed the location of its source.

The stairs led to a long hallway, which had two doors on the left and one on the right. Nines led Gavin towards the door on the right and held a finger to his lips as they stood on either side of it. After he verified that it was locked, the android positioned himself and slammed his body into the flimsy wooden frame. The door fell forward with a loud thump and they stepped over it, guns in hand, scanning the room for the figure they’d seen in the window.

They quietly approached a closet which stood in one corner. Gavin threw open the doors, and was met by a surprised yelp from the person within. It was a young woman with a white pixie cut, dressed in a gray blouse and dark pants. She cowered against the back of the closet with her hands held up in fear.

“Please, don’t shoot!”

Gavin lowered his gun cautiously, and Nines did the same. “Don’t worry, we’re not going to hurt you,” He reassured her. “Can you tell us your name?”

The woman looked up at them, trembling slightly. “K-Kara.”

Her gaze shifted to Nines, and she gasped. “It’s you. You’re the deviant hunter…from before the revolution. But…what happened to your eyes?”

Nines smiled gravely. “You must be referring to my predecessor, Connor. That being said, he is no longer tasked with eliminating deviants. This is because under the law, androids now have the same rights as humans.” He explained all of this in a gentle, comforting tone.

“Please allow me to introduce myself: I am RK900 – though you may refer to me as Nines. This is my partner, Detective Gavin Reed. We’re here to help you.”

Kara stared at him for a moment with a mixture of awe and intimidation. She then nodded, and climbed gingerly out of the closet. Nines held onto her as she did so. Suddenly, he noticed the gash that cut through Kara’s scalp just above her nape, and the clumps of blue blood that caked the hair around it.

She was an _android._

“What happened to your head?” he asked.

“I was attacked…” Kara replied. “I came into this house with a little girl – her name is Alice. And then an android, a PL600, ambushed me. I hit my head on a corner of the coffee table downstairs. I lost quite a lot of blood, so he went out to get thirium and took Alice with him. He said…” She swallowed thickly. “He said that if I tried to leave or call for help, he’d kill her.”

“Why did he attack you?” asked Gavin. “Sounds to me like he wasn’t expecting you guys to turn up.”

Kara averted her eyes. “We’ve been living on the streets, and we were looking for supplies. We were planning to just take what we needed and leave – ”

“So you broke into someone’s house?” Gavin pressed, seemingly unaware of the irony of his own question.

Kara clenched her jaw and didn’t respond. Nines stepped forward, placing his hand on his partner’s shoulder.

“Gavin, that’s enough.” He turned to Kara. “How long ago did he leave?”

“I’m not sure,” she admitted. “I think it’s been about an hour? But he could be back any mi– ”

They all stiffened at the sound of the front door being opened downstairs.

Daniel had come home.


End file.
